Anchor



June 18, 1940. c. w. FILBY 2,204,799

ANCHOR Filed May 28, 1938 1N VEN TOR.

ATTORNEYS.

Patented June 18, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFicE ANCHOR Carlton Filby, Jefferson, Ohio Application May 2s, 193s, serial No. 210,716

3 Claims.

My invention relates to improvements in marine anchors of the mushroom or disc type and its principal object is to provide in such an anchor y means for facilitating its release when caught in an obstruction such as under a rock, sunken timbers, or in a crack between rocks. To said end, I provide in such an anchor a shank which is affixed to the mushroom by a locked hinged joint which under conditions of normal use maintains the shank in perpendicular relation to the plane defined generally by the mushroom. In such normal use the pull on the anchor will be through such shank and substantially perpendicular to said plane, and said locked joint will be unaffected thereby. When, however, the pull is applied substantially in the plane dened generally by the mushroom, a pull of suflicient strength will break said locked joint and permit the shank to fold down to a position approximately in said plane so dened. My invention, then, consists of the means herein fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims.v

The annexed drawing and the following descriptions set forth in detail mechanisms embodying my invention, such detailed means constituting, however, but preferred examples of the various mechanical forms in which the principles of the invention may be used.

In said annexed drawing:

Fig. l is an elevational view partly in crosssection of a mechanism embodying my invention showing same in normal relation as when used as an anchor; Fig. 2 is a similar view of a part of the same with the shank in the position for removing the anchor when caught unider an obstruction; Fig. 3 is an elevational view of a part of another embodiment of my invention with the shank in position for removing from an obstruction; Fig. 4 is a top view of the part of the embodiment shown in Fig. 3 but with the shank in normal position, as when anchoring; and Fig. 5 is an elevational view substantially in cross-section of the part of the embodiment shown in Fig. 4 on the line'5-5 in said figure.

It will be understood the mushroom which makes it possible to omit in an anchor they stock which, in the common anchor with arms and flukes, is the means of establishing the anchor in operating position, has certain disadvantages when the anchor catches beneath a rock or in a crack. An anchor of the common type can ordinarily be released when so caught by moving the boat so that a side pull through the cable and shank may be exerted on the arm and vfluke so held. When a mushroom anchor is so caught,

however, a substantial sector of the mushroom is beneath the obstruction and the mushroom cannot be twisted by a side pull as can the iluke on the end of an arm of a common anchor.

Referring to the figures of the drawing, a shank I is connected by a joint to a connecting member mounted centrally in the mushroom 2, which joint is provided with locking means. In Figs. 1 and 2 the connecting member 3 is a Stud of rectangular cross-section mounted through the mushroom by a round threaded extension 4 of said connecting member. A nut 5 is threaded on said extension i and held in Xed relation by a pin 6 therethrough, the nut being preferably so adjusted that the mushroom 2 will revolve freely about the extension 4. In said Figs. 1 and 2, the shank I terminates in a forked or bifurcated portion comprising two legs 'I between which the connecting member 3 is mounted by the pin 8 secured by a cotter pin 9. In the end of shank 2, opening between the legs 'l of said fork is a recess III adapted to retain a compression spring I I and the end of ashort plunger I2.

The exterior end of the plunger I2 is ilat to t tightly under compression of the spring II against the at end of the connecting member 3. The free end of the connecting member 3 is finished flat as stated but with rounded marginal edges I3 over which the plunger I2 moves as the shank I is moved about the pin 8 connecting it with the connecting member 3.

It readily appears that the compression spring I0 will force the plunger I2 against the connecting member 3 and hold the shank I in a position perpendicular to the plane dened generally by the mushroom 2. This is the operating relation of the parts of the anchor when in operation. When the mushroom is caught under a rock or in a crack from which it cannot be released by a direct pull on the shank, the boat will be moved to a position from which a pull may be exerted through the cable in a direction substantially perpendicular to the length of the shank. Such a pull will cause the plunger I2 to move across the face of the connecting member 3 until it slides over a rounded edge I3 and assumes the relation of parts shown in Fig. 2. A further pull on the cable will be in a plane substantially parallel to the plane defined generally by the mushroom and it will be readily removed from the obstruction.

In the alternative form of construction shown in Figs. 3 to 5 inclusive, the shank I is secured to the disc or mushroom 2 by means of a combined ball and socket and detent connection. 'Ihe end of the shank i is swaged or upset into a ball which is held by means of the inwardly ciuved upper` ends 2i of the connecting bars 22. The bottom ends of the connecting bars 22 are secured to the mushroom 2 by means of suitable fastening nuts A reinforcing ring 24 is preferably made integral with the uprights 22 and located at a point just below the curved upper ends 2|. It will be noted that the inner ends oi" the upwardly curved ends 2| are spaced apart from each other a distance slightly greater than the diameter of the shank i whereby latter may be swung to position-s between the upward curved end portions El, such as is illustrated in Fig. 3.

A compression spring 25 is mounted between the mushroom 2 and the plunger or cap Z6. The cap 26 contacts with the inside surfaces of the uprights 22 and is guided in its up and down reciprocal movement by reason of such contact. A semi-spherical projection 2'! is located on the top ci the cap 255 and adapted to fit into the complementary semi-spherical recess 28 in the bottom of the ball In this manner. the shank i is normally locked or held in anchoring position as shown in Fig. 5. When suiiicient force is applied to the shank I in a direction of the plane i the mushroom this locking force is overcome and the shank l' permitted to swing sideways so that the entire anchor can be conveniently dislodged from whatever obstructed position it might have assumed.

It is to be understood that the anchor head, illustrated in the drawing as consisting of the mushroom or disc l or E can also be made in equivalent forms, such as in the form of a grapnel comprising a plurality of hooks or iiukes, without violating the spirit of my invention. Thus the use oi" the term mushroom in the appended claims is intended to include such equivalent forms o anchor head.

Other modes of applying the principle of my invention may be employed instead of the one explained, change being made as regards the mechanism herein disclosed, provided the means stated by any o the following claims or the equivalent or" such stated means be employed.

I therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention:

1. An anchor comprising a mushroom; a connecting member mounted centrally in the concave side of said mushroom; a shank; a hinged joint connecting said shank to said connecting member; a spring actuated detent in one member of said hinged joint; and an element on the other member of said hinged joint engaging with said detent, when the detent is in an extended position, to hold said shank normal to said mushroom; said` detent and said element having engaging faces, co-operating, responsive to force which tends to break said hinged joint to move said detent to a retracted position, whereby disengagement of said detent and said co-operating element is permitted.

2. An anchor comprising a mushroom; a connecting member mounted centrally in the concave side of said mushroom; a shank; a hinged joint connecting said shank to said connecting; member; a spring actuated detent within the hinged end of said shank, said detent having s nat terminal surface operative to engage the free end of said connecting member; and j surface on the free end of said connecting men ber between rounded shoulders defining the margins of such surface, which rounded shoulders are operative to move said detent to retracted position responsive to a force which tends to break said joint.

3. An anchor comprising a mushroom; a shank; a connecting member mounted centrally in the concave side of said mushroom; inwardly turned prongs on the free end of said connecting member forming a cage; a ball on the end ol said shank which ball is enclose within said cage, constituting therewith a universal joint; a semi-spherical depression in said ball co-axial with the axis of said shank; and a spring actuated detent within said connecting member, said detent being operative to engage said depression and releasably hold said shank normal to said mushroom.

CARLTON .V. FILBY. 

